Coated fuel impregnated block



Nov. 28, 1950 L. G. SCHULTZ COATED FUEL IMPREGNATED BLOCK Filed Feb. 20, 1945 V INVENTOR. g. grivwfibz,

I ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES ATENT. OF

26 Claims.

This invention relates to fuel and to fuel briquettes and blocks and methods for making the same and more particularly to improvement in smudge creating fuels for use in frost protection in orchards and is especially useful for use in'citrus orchards or groves and for other purposes.

Objects of the invention are to provide an improved fuel of this kind which will limit the burning to the top of the block, give better and more even ventilation and produce a more nearly perfect combustion and more economical than heretoforaand will lengthen thelife of the fuel and givea fuel which is more reliable and definite in length of time of burning.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved fuel block of this kind which is durable for shipping and which will long retain its fuel against evaporation.

An important advantage is that the smudge creating fuel is in the form of a fibrous-briquette; and is preferably made of compressed, absorbent fibrous material, preferably of mineral or vegetable origin, and which is impregnatedwith a suitable liquid oil or alcohol or with a hydrocarbon, residual waste distillate, which not only creates a heated smudge "creating'vaporduring the burning thereof, but also simultaneously acts as a bactericide and insecticide during use.

Another object is to provide afuel briquette suitable for use with the combustion control means of my United States Patent No. 2,280,267, issued April 21, 1942.

Additional ob ects of the invention are to effect simplicity andefliciency in such fuel blocks and methods and to pro ide an extremely simple fuel block of this kindwhich is economical and reli able in operation, and economical'to manufacture. transport, handle and operate.

Still other objects of the inventionwill appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described in the speci fication and some of the claims, the invention as described in some of the broader claims is not limited to these, and .many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope A of the invention as claimed in the broader claimss:

The'inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objectsflare shown herein in m connectiomwith several forms :of the invention each of which briefly stated, includes a block or briquettes-f compressedxabsorbent fibrous ma terial impregnated witlra liquidofuel. and havingv an air-impervious coating on the bottom ands;

sides of the block for limiting the flame to the In two forms of the inventionone or. more vena tilating openings are provided to direct air to the inner part of the flame; and in one form ad-:

and that other shapes of blocks may be used.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, several of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one forms.

of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the fuel block of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of another form of the invention;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively horizontal andu axial sections showing another form of the in vention.

In the form of invention of Fig. 1, the fuel comprises a simple briquette or block 6 of liquid fuel-absorbent material which may be com-- pressed absorbent material l and impregnated The block is provided with a a witha liquid fuel. suitable air-impervious coating c on the bottom and/ or sides of the block, thus limiting the flame While It to the top of the block, as in Fig. 1. the necessity of illustration requires that the coating be shown in section, it is understood that the coating may be so thin that the thickness cannot be accurately illustrated.

The form of invention of Fig. 3 comprises a; fuel block or briquette 6a of compressedabsorbent fibrous material 7 impregnated with a liquid fuel and having ventilating openings 8a, 8 passing therethrough from the lower part of side faces thereof to an intramarginal part of'the top face.

The block has an air-impervious'coating 9 on the bottom and sides of the block and walls ofthe' 'r openings 8.

Ifthe block is to be shipped or stored, it may bedesirable to additionally provide an air-impervious strengthening and protecting corrugated cardboard l2 adhered on the top'iace of the block and an air-impervious paper It adhered on they bottom'and sides of the block, said coating paper and .board protecting :the block from breakage and'the-fuel fromzevaporation and leakage." Thea board l2 and paper 14 are adapted to be stripped off before igniting the block, leaving said coating 9 thereon to limit the burning to the top of the block. 7

In the form of invention of Figs. 4 and 5 the fuel comprises a tubular block or briquette 6b of compressed absorbent fibrous material 1 impregnated ith a liquid fuel and having a large ventilating axial opening to passing therethrough from the bottom face thereof to an intramarginal part of the top face; and an air-impervious coating 9 is applied on the bottom and sides of the block and walls of said opening.

The coverings l2 and is and openings 8 may be used with the devices of Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5; and the opening 8b could be used with a rectangular block. Other shapes of blocks and openings could be used within the scope of the claims.

The fuel blo may be prepared in any suitable manner. Or, broadly stated, the method of making the fuel may comprise first forming a block of compressed absorbent fibrous or other material with or without the ventilating openings 8 or Be passing therethrough, then soaking said block in a liquid fuel either under pressure or not, until suificient fuel is therein. Then the impregnated block is immersed in one or more solutions adapted when dried to form an air-impervious coating on the bottom and sides of the block and on the walls of the openings.

Then if desired an air-impervious strengthening and protecting sheet or board may be adhered on the top face of the block; and if further desired an additional air-impervious sheet or layer of paraffin paper may be adhered on the sides and bottom of the block. Said coating, paper and boards protect the block from breakage and the fuel from evaporation and leakage, and the paper and board are adapted to be stripped off before igniting the block, leaving said coating thereon to limit the burning to the top of the block.

A suitable fuel for impregnating the block may be alcohol, or any cheap oil or other liquid material.

A suitable material for the block, may be asbestos fiber, or other absorbent material, or on account of cheapness and its natural burning qualities, may be made up of vegetable fibers, compressed into bales or briquettes, as in Figs. 1 to 5, to economize in space, and to render them slow burning. Such vegetable fibers may be of dried leaves, hay, straw, sawdust, the residual bagasse of sugar cane, and the like.

It has been found that the fuel forming briquettes when made of vegetable matter are porous and highly absorbent, and may be advantageously impregnated with a liquid hydrocarbon, or the like, thus to increase the fuel and smudging capacity of the briquette during protective combustion.

A suitable hydrocarbon fuel for the herein disclosed use is a waste distillate which is the result of refining natural petroleum and other oils, and a suitable distillate for the purpose is that made from the crude oils'obtained from the States of Texas and Louisiana, amongst others, because the waste distillate obtained from refining the crude oils of these States contains a very large amount of sulphur, which when burned, gives off a. sumcient volume of sulphurous acid with the smudge to act upon the plant pests and bacteria to destro them, during the smudging operation.

There are various methods of impregnating the material of the briquette. The loose fibrous material may be first immersed in the liquid distillate, and then formed into briquettes or it may be formed by molding or compressing the fibrous material into briquette form, and then placing the briquette material in a closed container in which is provided a liquid waste distillate and then applying pressure to the liquid.

For forming the coating 9, the block may be dipped into the coating-forming solution or mixture, as far as the top edge of the sides, but so as not to reach the top face. Then the block is removed and the coating allowed to dry. Or if preferred the solution could be brushed or sprayed on the bottom and sides and then allowed to dry.

A suitable solution is sodium silicate or calcium chloride alone or mixed or successively applied, the sodium silicate or calcium chloride providing an element of fire-proofness to the sides. Also albumen or a slurry of Portland cement or fireresistant creosote asphalt emulsion could be used. Various other materials could be used.

For protecting orchards the briquettes may be placed on the ground. at suitably spaced locations and ignited.

For the briquette of Fig. 5, a slightly rough place on the ground is may be found leaving a ventilating space i E to feed the ventilating opening Sb. The b-riquette may be used with or without the control means as described in my said patent. Or something could be used to hold the block up, or otherwise to provide for an air inlet. Any of the described briquettes or blocks may be used for camp fires or in suitable heating or cooking stoves, orchard heaters, tobacco enters or other purposes too numerous to mention.

Various coverings of various materials other than corrugated paper I2 or the paper 14 could be used.

The coating 9 may be omitted at the bottom of the blocks, if desired.

In any case, as the liquid fuel burns, it is drawnto the top of the block by capillary action, and continues to burn until all of the liquid is consumed, leaving the absorbent material in-' tact. The block of exhausted absorbent material a is usually merely replaced by a new impregnated block, but can be reimpregnated and reused if desired.

The invention claimed is: r

1. An article of the character described comprising a piece of absorbent material having mixed therewith a liquid fuel and having a fire resisting easily frangible coating adhered on the sides for resisting the passage of air.

2. A fuel as in claim 1, said coating consisting of sodium silicate.

3. A fuel as in claim 1, said coating consisting of calcium chloride.

4. A fuel as in claim 1, said coatingconsisting of Portland cement.

5. A fuel as in claim 1, including an additional covering on the top.

6. A fuel as in claim 1, including an additional covering on the sides.

7. A fuel as in claim 1, said block having ventilating openings passing through the top face' and open at the lower part, the Walls of'the openings having said coating adhered thereon.

8. An article of the character described comprising a block of compressed absorbent fibrous material having mixed therewith a liquid fuel;

a fire resisting air-impervious easily frangible coating adhered on the bottom and sides of the block.

accuses 9. Afuel as in claim 8, said material being vegetable fibers.

1Q.i A. fuel as .in -claim i3, said: material .being asbestos; 1 fibers.

. 1'I.i An article of..the character described comprisinguablock coated withlfire resistin material and ..:impregnated..with...a. liquid. fuel; and air. imperviousvepaper. sheet covering secured on faces. of the; block.

12.A zfuel asuinmclaim'll, said covering including a corrugated cardboardadheredzfo the top .of the block...

13,; Aufuelxas inclaim 11, saidicoveririgiim eluding sheets of paraffin paper: adhereditothe bottom and sides of the block.

14. An article of the character described comprising ablock or briquetteof compressed absorbentfibrous--material impregnated with a liquid fuel and having ventilating openings pas ingtherethrough from= the lower part of side faces thereof toan intramarginal part of the top face; an air-impervious coating on the bottom and sides of the block and walls of the openings; an air-impervious strengthening and protecting corrugated cardboard adhered on the top face of the block; an air-impervious paper adhered on the bottom and sides of the block; said coating, paper and board protecting the block from breakage and the fuel from evaporation and leakage; the paper and board being adapted to be stripped off before igniting the block, leaving said coating thereon to limit the burning to the top of the block.

15. An article of the character described com prising a tubular block of compressed absorbent fibrous material impregnated with a liquid fuel and having a large ventilating axial opening passing therethrough from the face thereof to an intramarginal part of the top face; an airimpervious fire resisting coating on the bottom and sides of the block and Walls of said opening.

16. An article of the character described comprising a block of compacted absorbent fibrous vegetable materia1 impregnated with a liquid fuel; and a substantially fireproof air-impervious coating adhered on and supported by the bottom and sides of the block, leaving the top face of the block exposed, whereby when the liquid fuel at the top face of the block is ignited, air is held by said coating from the fibrous material except at said top face and the liquid fuel is fed to the combustion on said top face by capillary attraction in the fibrous material as a wish, to replace the consumed oil, until substantially all the oil is removed from the block; whereupon the block may be reimpregnated with oil and used again.

17. An article of the character described comprising a block. of compacted absorbent fibrous material impregnated with a liquid fuel; and a substantially fireproof air-impervious coating of dried hardenable liquid on and supported by only the bottom and sides of the block, leaving the top face of the block exposed.

18. An article of the character described comprising a block of divided material impregnated with a vaporizable fuel; and substantially fire proof air-impervious coating of sodium silicate on the bottom and sides of the block, leaving the top face of the block exposed.

19. An article of the character described comprising a body of com acted absorbent fibrous material im regnated with a liquid fuel and havin a ventilating opening passing therethrough from a lower part of the body to an intramarina1= part 1 of -the top I face; and! substantially air impervious. coating on the bottom and sides of the body and all walls of the opening leaving the: top face of the body exposed; whereby when the liquid fuel on the top faceof the body is ignitedairis held by said coating from entering through the opening of'the fibrous material except at said top face-and liquid fuel is fed to the combustion-on said top face by capillary attraction inl'the fibrous material as a wick, to replace the consumed oil.

20. An article of the character described comprising'a compressed block of absorbent fibrous material having a dry substantially fireproof air-impervious coating deposited from. a solution of sodium silicate applied to only the bottom and sides of the block and dried thereon; said block being-impregnated with a hydrocarbon oil, whereby the oil is adapted for igniting at the top face of the block, whereby when the oil is burned; air, is heldby said coatingfrom the fibrousmaterial except at said top face and oil is fed to the combustion on said top face by capillary attraction in the fibrous material as a wick, to replace the consumed oil; whereby continuing the burning removes substantially all the oil from the block adapting the block for again reimpregnating it with oil and repeating the burning.

21. An article of the character described comprising a block of compressed absorbent vegetable fibrous material impregnated with petroleum oil and having ventilating openings passing therethrough from a lower part of the block to an intramarginal part of the top face; and a substantially fireproof air-impervious easily frangible coating of alkaline sodium silicate adhered on and supported by the bottom and sides of the block and walls of the opening leaving the top face of the block exposed.

22. An article of the character described comprising a body of absorbent material impregnated with a petroleum oil; and a substantially fireproof air-impervious easily frangible coating of an alkaline material adhered on and supported by the bottom and sides of the body leaving the top face of the block exposed.

23. An article of the character described comprising a body ofi material impregnated with liquid fuel; and an easily frangible coating on the bottom and sides of the body leaving the top face of the body exposed.

24. An article as in claim 23 having an easily removable paper covering adhered on the bottom, top and sides of the body to protect said coating and body.

25. An article of the character described comprising a block of compressed absorbent vegetable fibrous material impregnated with a hydrocarbon petroleum oil; and a substantially fireproof air-impervious easily frangible, noncorrosive coating of alkaline sodium silicate adhered 0n and supported by the bottom and sides of the block leaving the top face exposed; said coating being non-corrosive by petroleum oil, and being of low cost and fragile and adapted when left in the field to disintegrate and not injure agricultural machines and to counteract acidity in the soil.

26. An article of the character described compri ing a block of absorbent material impregnated with a fuel; and a substantially fireproof air-impervious water-soluble easily frangible coating adhered on and supported by the bottom and sides of the block leaving the top face REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 158,931 Gearing Jan. 19, 1875 260,729 Davis July 4, 1882 282,868 Eddy Aug. 7, 1883 286,914 Dimock et a1. Oct. 16, 1883 381,237 Hanmore Apr. 17, 1888 Number Number 8 Name Date Wheeler May 8, 1888 Absterdam Feb. 12, 1889 Lytle Nov. 26, 1889 Lemstrom Sept. 11, 1894 Porter Nov. 24, 1903 Money Feb. 4, 1919 Valentine July 6, 1920 Lynes Dec. 17, 1921 Rutherford July 9, 1935 Lamkin July 11, 1939 Headland Aug. 22, 1939 Fernholz Aug. 20, 1940 Schultz Apr. 21, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Aug. 2, 1917 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1923 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1940 France June 21, 1924 

1. AN ARTICLE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A PIECE OF ABSORBENT MATERIAL HAVING MIXED THEREWITH A LIQUID FUEL AND HAVING A FIRE RESISTING EASILY FRANGIBLE COATING ADHERED ON THE SIDES FOR RESISTING THE PASSAGE OF AIR. 